LO does NOT do 'gentle hands'

[erikab922]

To LO 'gentle hands' means 'smack as hard as you can'. No matter how many times I stop and show her, take her hand and show her how to gently stroke the cat's fur, as soon as I let go she wallops the poor cat something fierce. Like a full-on punch in the gut. No wonder the cat runs when she sees LO.

When did your LO 'get' gentle hands?

 

[minties]

Thomas is very...lets say, 'enthusiastic'. He only started being more gentle with animals about 4 months ago. He's very fast with his movements and really, the only time he does anything gently is when he's drawing or clicking lego together.

 

[_jellybean_]

At about 15 months--we tell him to touch nicely, and so he pats his sister on her head, while saying "nice". Thus far, he's been gentle with her. He till is a very rough little guy though! He bites now. These things take time hon.

 

[erikab922]

That's so cute that he says 'nice'! Doesn't help that she's also in a growling phase, so she's a growler/hitter. Good thing she hardly has any teeth or I'd have a boxing werewolf toddler which they do NOT warn you about in the baby books.

 

[Amy2701]

Lily is very gentle with my mums dog now, but a couple of months ago she used to just wallop him whenever we allowed her to pat him. She also pats her baby brothers head while saying "nice".. But tickles are a different thing altogether. If anyone saw her tickle him they'd be horrified by how rough she is. X

 

[erikab922]

So that's really interesting that both of the kids who now do 'nice' are around three months older than my LO so I shall hang in there and hope she becomes the same!

 

[NotNic]

I think you just have to keep trying. F can be gentle but if he gets overexcited then he becomes very heavy handed. We try softly and gentle, but we find saying aaah better. We cuddle him or stroke him and say aaah, then we get him to give the cat or the baby (his cousins) aaahs. He then strokes them or kisses the baby's head. He now knows what 'aahs' are and enjoys doing that. I think softly and gently don't necessarily mean anything to them without feeling what softly actually is on them iykwim. Also I'm kind of the view that heavy handed babies aren't deliberately hurting and rarely know that they are being too strong so positive reinforcement is better, especially if they are harder because they are being enthusiastic or excited. I'm stricter with hitting, biting, pinching etc. when its clear he's doing it for a reaction or because he is frustrated or cross.